Biography

Early life

Spang was born in Buffalo and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Her father, Arthur W. Spang is a retired chemist who owned and operated Spang Microanalytical Laboratories. His specialty was organic microanalysis. Laurette's mother, Evelyn B. Stegath has a masters degree in social work and worked for a time as court counselor in the Ann Arbor court system. Laurette has an older brother, Richard, who is now a successful computer engineer and lives with his family on Whidbey Island, near Seattle, Washington. Laurette's younger sister, Marilyn Maysey is the manager of a popular consignment store, also in the Seattle area.

At 16, she accompanied her father on a business trip to New York City, where she waited at the stage door of Dark Shadows. In an event likely out of place in today's society, the stage guard allowed her to walk right in, leading her to actress Kathryn Leigh Scott. After their meeting, Spang would answer Scott's fan mail through high-school.

The summer of her junior year, she auditioned to be an apprentice at Williamstown Summer Theater. A year later, Scott set up an audition for Spang at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She received a scholarship and graduated from there 2 years later. Following graduation in 1969, Laurette returned to Michigan where she attended Adrian College, living dorm life on a small campus, but not far from her family in Ann Arbor.

After leaving the contract system, she was cast as Cassiopeia in the Battlestar Galactica TV movie, "Saga of a Star World". An initial draft would have led to her being eaten by the Ovions; however, this death was averted and the network kept her on in a regular role but with a change of profession. Standards and Practices would no longer allow her to be a "socialator" (prostitute) so they abruptly switched her character to a medtech) in the series.

Personal life

She fell in love with John McCook and they married on February 16, 1980. In 1984, Spang retired to be an 'at home mom'. She has three children with McCook: Jake, Becky, and Molly. Jake is a film editor and filmmaker, Becky is an assistant kindergarten teacher and Molly is pursuing an acting and singing career.

Spang was a supporter of Glen A. Larson's initial revival efforts, believing that the creator had the right to do whatever he pleased with his creation.